Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-11-24

nad, 1alf maiden, Dull even fr1nceSSe5 nav
holes in their pockets.)
With that she began, abseut-minded y, I,
hum But Lydia, interruptiug her, gayl,
trilled:
al know not what IL meaneth,
That am so sad to-day:
But q song of the times departed
WIN not from my brain away
"You are constantly humming that .Ad
dia-' Do you know it, Natalie minel''
Whereat, Natalie, infected by her flow Of
spirits, laughed and said:
'tHow absurd it all is, is it nota And
after all, what foolish creatures we are"
Lydia, not comprehending this irrelevant
remark at first, stared; then, remembering
the eccentricities of her friend, ventured
the equally irrelevant and non-committal
statement that:
1.-THE whole sum and substance OF the
matter is, as Solomon says: Fear God and
-ahem![ add, obey your husband, when
you get one"
Laughing heartily, they could not have
told why, both dashed away, two magnif-
cent specimens of womanhood, noble
hearted girls, fearless, frank and true.
The all-observant Fairfax had noted, eau
tiously, one other fact-that the stone
by which Natalie had mounted lay directly
against the huge trunk of an enormous
willow-tree.
Oxford was now all eagerness to return
to the village Immediately.
Nv att" said Fairfax, putting out his
hand to restrain him and looking steadily in
the direction whence the girls had first ap-
peared.
They waited-perhaps ten minutes-Fair-
fax silent and thoughtful, revolving some
scheme or other in his brain, but observant
all the time; Dick, too, quiet, but chiefly
from curiosity.
A carriage was heard approaching. It
contained the lovers, Catharine and Dimitri
who seemed more oblivious than ever to the
surrounding world. There horse was,
clearly, the only one of the party who had
his wits about him Being sagacious and
docile beast, with a vision of oats in the dis
lance, he was directing himself homeward
with energetic steps.
After they had passed out of sight, Fair
fax then motioned to his friend to follow
him. Going over to the stone from which
Natalie had mounted, the pair sat down.
''As told you,' began Fairfax, II leave
tonight for Havre, or for Paris, via St
Malo; and want you to leave tomorrow
night at the same hour-both of US ostensi-
bly, not to return. You will tell landlord
Baudray that you are going to Paris-under-
stand? ! shall inform him, that am going
want to create a firm impression that we
have gone-cleared out, vamosed the
ranch, and are hundreds of miles away
from this place.
Now" continued he, s'as to your occu-
patton while here, my boy; first of all, let
me retail to you several important items of
interest. l have noticed that twice already
the Princess has ceased sketching just be-
fore sunset; that the servants follow at
some distance behind; that she dismounts.
waters that black charger and mounts from
this stone on which we are now sitting, an6
that your friend, Lydia, has been with her
but once"
Now" said he, speaking slowly to in
press his listener, my boy, 1 must ask you
to take observations in my place, tomorrow.
If they all agree with mine, 1 shall take ii
for granted that they indicate regular oc
currence of what have just told you. More
you hear, friend2-am anx-
ious to learn whether Lydia will be with her
again. / must positively learn that. You
get these points,
Il do said Richard.
snow, can that valet of yours keep Sc
cret2''
:. The rack wouldn't extract it from him,
if he makes up his mind to do So"
''Win he falter: or have any qualms of
dUOul TAXING peAL LII d udLdr0OuS
schemef'
He'll do whatever tell him."
.'Very well, / want his assistance, too. in
this matter. want you both to pack up;
say farewell; go to St. Malo; buy your
tickets to P aris-being exceedingly cautious
to keep in the background, and, on no ac-
count make known your names-send all
your baggage through to that city; but get
off-both of you-at Dol I will arrive few
later. We will then hold a con-
sultation together. Do you get the idea!'
II do,'' replied the attentive and very
much puzzled Oxford.
Twill you act accordingly!''
81 will
every well, then, let's join hands on it.
Meanwhile must ask you to wait longer
before admit you to my secret"
81 see and acquiesce," meekly said Dick.
Upon which they got into the buggy and
silently drove home to the inn, each one
with his own peculiar thoughts.
CHAPTER VIII.
IF THIS FAILS NE, EVERY THING ELSE FAILS,
TOO.
AT half-past nine Fairfax was off and